WIFE MATERIAL- Friends & Frenemies!

Rita was tired, she had walked more than had she ever walked in
her life. In Abuja, cutting costs of transportation was almost impossible
as transportation costs are not as high in comparison with the distance and today, for a two hundred naira journey, Rita had walked for over one hour.

She reached the house under the blazing heat bearing no
resemblance to herself at all, she had been reddened by the sun and she felt so
dehydrated. One of her neighbours sold sachet water and Rita walked over to her room and
handed her ten naira and bought two cold sachets of water which she drank at
the woman’s doorstep.

“Busy day…” The woman said to her, hoping to start off a conversation.

Rita nodded wearily and walked to her room, brought out the
keys and opening the door, she got in.

She almost wept at the sight of the
clothes on the ground which she had spread as a makeshift bed and wished she had the
luxury of a bed. The room was hot and there was no fan as the only source of
ventilation was the small window at the right hand corner of the room. Rita lay
helplessly on the ground, breathing in and out deeply, she had worked so hard at the office, sweeping, cleaning and serving and she just realized that money no matter the
means, never came easy. She was just about to doze off when her phone rang, it
was her mother.

“Hello…mom…”

“Rita…I need you to tell me the truth, what is happening?
I need to know…” Her mother asked her in an emotional but strong voice.

“It’s…nothing…” She started.

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Rita!” Her mother screamed at
her.

Rita suddenly began to cry as she quickly told her mother
everything that had happened to Chuka at his office and how they had been
reduced to living like beggars.

“How come you never told me?”

“I’m sorry ma…I…didn’t want you to be disappointed in
me…”

“Disappointed? How?”

“You and daddy complained that you didn’t know Chuka and….”

“Listen to me, your daddy and I felt that marrying in such
haste was a bad decision, it has nothing to do with Chuka’s financial
capacity…”

“I know but….”

“I am paying two hundred thousand naira into your account
right now, you’d better quit that nonsense job you just got and pick yourself
back on your feet with the money I’m paying into your account!” Her mother
said.

“Thank you mom…thank you…”

“You have an ATM card so, withdrawing won’t be a problem.”
Her mother said.

As soon as Rita dropped the call, she found renewed strength
as she quickly jumped to her feet and hurried out of the house, heading to the
Bank to use the ATM. Now, she knew that money has been her ailment all along.

**********

Tosin was at her office when Priscilla called her phone,
something told her to ignore the call as Priscilla had humiliated her the day
before while something told her to pick the call.

“Priscilla, I am no fool and you made me feel like one
yesterday…I think we should end whatever friendship we have together.”

“What? Where is this coming from?”

“It’s nothing…I just want to be a woman who makes her own
choices. Even my husband doesn’t get so worked up whenever I do things my way
but you, you surprised me completely…”

“I said I am sorry…I am really sorry and I am willing to
make it up to you.”

“I’m very busy now…I’ve got to go…”

“No! Tosin…please…”

Tosin didn’t hang up, she recalled the nights she’d spent in
Priscilla’s arms and couldn’t remove the thoughts from her mind.

“Okay…what’s the plan?”

“Let’s have dinner at my place tonight…just the two of
us…does seven pm sound good?”

“Seven pm sounds great!” Tosin said.

********

Bode couldn’t focus, his new PA annoyed him, she always moved about like a squirrel. Bode pressed his intercom and spoke to her.

“Will you come into my office?” He asked.

She was at his door before he could say jack and had soon
stepped into the office.

“I need you to take this flash to Jumoke…tell her that I
want her to come with you to your desk and look for the important folders she stored for the Mark Ejagbe’s firm. I need her to copy all those and place them into the
flash drive.” He said.

“Okay sir…” She said and left the office quickly.

Bode immediately scrolled through the folders on his screen
and tried to get busy but no matter how much he focused, her face was
everywhere in his head.

Soon, his PA walked into the office.

“What is it? Have you told her to come ….”

“Jumoke has resigned sir…”

“What?”

“She resigned this morning sir.”

“She can’t resign, she’s supposed to give the company at least a month’s notice.”

“She forfeited her pay for the month sir…:” His P.A said.

Bode nodded grimly and waved her off, as soon as she left, he slammed his fist on
the table in anger.

*********

Rita was so happy, she watched the bus bring in the bed
and fan that she had bought. The driver of the vehicle assisted her with carrying the bed and fan into the house. Once he left, she plopped on the
bed, imagining a night of bliss.

The door opened and Chuka stepped in.

“What happened here?” He asked.

“I got us new furniture…see…a standing fan and a bed.”
Rita said with a big smile.

“How did you get the money? Have you started throwing
yourself at men?” He demanded.

“Are you crazy? How dare you tell me that?”

“Then if it’s not men, where did you get the money from?” He
inquired.

“I told my mom everything and she sent money to me.”

Chuka saw red.

“You what?”

“I told my mom…” Rita started in a low voice.

“You told her to throw us a pity party? You told your
mother?” Chuka screamed furiously.

“She asked and I…I told her the truth…I…” She started.

Chuka slapped her and while Rita was recoiling from the slap
he punched her on the arm and began to beat her and as he beat her he said;

“I am no charity case! Chuka is not a beggar! I will teach you to be content with what your husband provides!”

*******

Tosin was at Priscilla’s place, and she was being hosted to
a huge feast. Priscilla had prepared roasted chicken, bowls of fried rice and
plantains, coleslaw, and finger foods. Tosin felt like she was a celebrity. She
ate the food while Priscilla watched with a huge smile.

“You should drink something…” Priscilla said with a smile.
“Let’s toast…to us.”

Tosin smiled as she watched Priscilla get up from the chair
and walk to the mini bar where she brought out a bottle of wine, took two
glasses and corking the wine, she poured its contents into the glasses.

Unknown to Tosin, Priscilla had poured a teaspoon of
sleeping powder into one of the glasses. She handed the glass to Tosin and
watched Tosin gulp its contents.

They were both talking and laughing when Tosin began feeling
drowsy.

“Are you well dear?”

“I am fine…just so…sleepy…” Tosin yawned.

“Go and lie down…” Priscilla said sweetly.

Tosin nodded and standing up from her chair, she walks to
the door but falls in a heap to the ground.

Soon, Priscilla’s son walks into the dining and sees Tosin
on the ground.

“I thought she was supposed to fall asleep in the room.” He asked.

“She was making her way to the room when she fell to the
ground…” His mother said.

“I’m not carrying her into the room…”

“It’s okay…let’s leave her here.”

“Let’s search her bag mom, she told you some time ago that
she is always with the keys to her office aside the security…let’s see if we can find
it.” Her son said.

You know, i may not like Tosin but, i really, really hope Priscilla and her son's plans are unsuccessful. Please tell me this the end of Bode and Jumoke; Jumoke deserves better biko. And for whatever idiocy Bode and Tosin are doing right now, i really hope their marriage survives this. Maybe a tragedy can happen that will call both their attentions to what matters. Maybe a counsellor can be introduced…

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ABOUT ME

Adaeze Ibechukwu is a writer and Storyteller . She's been writing since she was child and has published two children’s short stories at the age of nine. She was the 2015 Story Series Writer of the year at the Nigerian Awards and also named one of the most influential writers under 40, by the platform. She has also written scripts for movies and stage plays.

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